SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Jan. 5, 2009) – Fiji’s mahogany forest, among the largest in the world, is expected to begin yielding some real money this year.

And much of the benefits of the lucrative green gold will go to indigenous landowners as a result of a new arrangement being put in place.

The interim Government is in the process of finalizing the transfer of the ownership of the mahogany plantations to the indigenous landowners through the Fiji Mahogany Trust.

The scheme will involve the licensing of approved harvesters who, as criteria of getting a licence, must, among other things, value add in Fiji, pay a levy for reforestation, brand Fijian mahogany, and provide employment.

According to interim Public Enterprise Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, applicants for licences will be given favourable consideration if they have indigenous land owner equity participation.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Jan. 5, 2009) – Kiriwina islanders in the Trobriand group of islands have succumbed to a simultaneous outbreak of deadly diseases like typhoid, yaws, malaria, pneumonia and tuberculosis that have claimed 38 lives so far.

A district health inspector, based at Losuia, claimed the outbreak of the diseases was concurrent and people could now infect others.

He said the water supply at the Losuia Government station and the nearby villages was obtained from bored wells which were contaminated.

He also said the villagers along the coastal stretch from Tukwaukwa all the way to Kavataria were prone to infection as they relied on stream water, which were occasionally polluted with human faces and domesticated animals.

Another health officer said some villagers were so strong in their cultural sentiments that the introduction and use of pit toilets would seem foreign to...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, January 6, 2009) – The three main political leaders in French Polynesia are due to meet today for a third time in less than a month in a bid to break a political deadlock.

The opposition’s Gaston Flosse and Oscar Temaru have met again ahead of today’s scheduled encounter with President Gaston Tong Sang, whose majority in the assembly was lost a month ago when one of his backers decided to pull out of his coalition.

This has left the ruling To Tatou Aia coalition with 28 seats, which is the same level of support the opposition has.

The 2009 budget wasn’t passed by the end of December and should the assembly fail to agree on a document by the end of March, the territory’s running will revert to the French high commissioner.

There has been a call for fresh elections but there has been no support for the idea in France.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Jan. 6, 2009) – Southeast Gobe oilfield landowners have obtained a court order restraining the State from exercising any rights of access, use and occupation of customary land within Petroleum Development Licence (PDL) 3 and PDL 4.

The order also temporarily forbade current developers, contractors and other parties from carrying out any work on PDL 3 and PDL 4, which are situated upon customary land belonging to the Wolotou Incorporated Land Group.

The Wolotou landowners obtained the court order following concerns that other landowner groups were benefiting from royalty payments despite their customary land not being actively used as part of the project.

They claimed that the Land Titles Commission and a former minister for mining and petroleum illegally extended the land boundary of PDL 3 and PDL 4 to include other beneficiaries, who were initially outside the...

Mr. Simi, who led the multi agency team sent recently to Lord Howe and Pelau with relief supplies, said Sikaiana is also affected. He said Sikaiana was also hit by waves and many food gardens have been wiped out.

"During the assessment trip, we also found that Sikaiana people also suffered the same fate as those on Lord Howe and Pelau and are in need of relief supplies," he said.

Early last month, a huge wave hit Pelau and Lord Howe, destroying food gardens and left many hungry and homeless.

Meanwhile, Simi said the final assessment report has been compiled and is now with the Director of the National Disaster Management Office Loti Yates.

He said all agencies that sent their personnel, including medical and...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, January 6, 2009) – Fiji’s Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says no definite date for an election was discussed at a chiefly gathering at the army camp last month.

Ratu Peni Latianara, who attended the Bose ni Turaga, told the Fiji Times that when he asked Commodore Frank Bainimarama when the election was going to take place, he was told in twelve months.

But Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, who was there for parts of the discussions, says no fixed time for an election was set out:

"Sometimes when there are various scenarios discussed, it may have been discussed within that context, but the Prime Minister did not give any such undertaking."

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, January 7, 2009) – Papua New Guinea’s autonomous Bougainville region has begun the swearing-in ceremony of its newly-elected president, James Tanis, who was elected last month.

The former Bougainville Revolutionary Army commander is Bougainville’s second president after Joseph Kabui who died last June.

Bougainvilleans from all corners of the island have arrived in traditional costumes in the former capital, Arawa, for his inauguration.

Mr Tanis, who is from Panam Village in Lamane, on the border of South and Central Bougainville, was a key player in forging the 2001 peace agreement to end the long-running civil war.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Jan. 7, 2009) – The Prime Minister’s office yesterday confirmed that Sir Michael Somare had written to former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke late last year to formally inform him of becoming a PNG chief.

Mr Hawke was awarded the highest honour available to a non-citizen — the Grand Companion of Logohu ("GCL") with the title of "Chief".

Robert James Lee Hawke AC was officially appointed a Chief of Logohu on New Year’s Day.

Betha Somare from the Prime Minister’s office said Sir Michael and former prime minister Bob Hawke became good friends when he first visited Papua New Guinea as a leader of the Australian trade union movement and helped to establish the PNG trade unions and set up an indigenous wage system.

Sir Michael’s letter read:

"Dear Bob, As you may be aware, PNG now has its own national honours and awards system — The orders of Papua...

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